- The footage shows a CR&R garbage truck with smoke billowing from its rig in Calimesa, which police identified as the cause of the blaze
- Under dry and windy conditions, Melvin says he tried to warn the driver to dispose of the burning trash elsewhere, recognizing the danger
- But Melvin said his desperate cries were met only with a vacant stare from the driver, before he dumped the load of burning garbage near Sandalwood Drive
- Within minutes, the fire quickly erupted, growing to more than 800 acres in size and roaring through the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park, destroying 76 homes
- Two people have died in the blaze, including 89-year-old great-great-grandmother Lois Arvickson, who was on the phone to family at the time
- Investigators now say they’re working to determine whether the CR&R driver acted unlawfully when he discarded the trash
- It’s not yet clear what criminal charges the driver – or other members of the garbage crew – could face, if any
- On Saturday evening, authorities said the Sandalwood Fire was 25 percent contained, up from 10 percent on Friday
New video shows the crucial last moments leading up to the ignition of the fatal Sandalwood wildfire, which were sparked when a garbage truck driver dumped a pile of burning trash on the side of a road on Thursday afternoon.
Captured by Shawn Melvin, the footage shows a CR&R garbage truck with smoke billowing from its rig in Calimesa, which authorities have now identified as the cause of the blaze that went on to destroy more than seventy homes and kill at least two people.
Under dry, humid and windy conditions, Melvin says he immediately recognized the impending danger and tried to warn the driver to dispose of the burning trash elsewhere.